<p>I'm a fourth year bioengineering major, but the fact of the matter is that I don't really want to do BioEng as a career - I'm interested in applying myself to CS or a design-oriented field (MechE), and I'm wondering if I can get a master's in either of those fields even though I studied BioE as an undergrad. I've got one class left after this quarter (I'm at UCLA), but I am leaning heavily toward adding a minor and allowing myself to stay for the Fall quarter (Human Complex Systems). Is it common to switch fields out of undergrad? Where can I get a Masters in CS or Mech E with only about a quarter's worth of training for CS and a few for MechE?</p>
<p>As long as the fields are somewhat overlapping, it’s doable.</p>
<p>I’m a chemist, but I’m going for my PhD in chemical physics… so quite a bit of overlap, but there’s a title change in the end.</p>
<p>Try to “spin” your background to make it applicable to MechE. Draw connections between your BioE coursework and experiences (as well as any CS or Meche stuff, of course) and the programs you wish to apply to.</p>
<p>How about Biomechanics? Though there is not much design in that field … maybe design of bio-related devices</p>
<p>Ill see your change of major and raise you.</p>
<p>I graduated with a bachelors degree in mathematics, and subsequently applied to, and was accepted to, a biochemistry Ph.D. program at a top university.</p>
<p>And, no, I didnt do mathematical modeling for my graduate work. I did real lab work. Wet lab work. Wet, squishy, drippy, smelly lab work. And this having been the guy who blew up his lab bench in freshman chem lab, and who swore as a sophomore that hed never set foot in a laboratory again. (<em>sigh</em>–we always become what we hate).</p>
<p>And I apparently didnt embarrass myself too badly, because several years after leaving with my degree, I was invited back to the same school to join the faculty.</p>
<p>Really, as long as your undergraduate program has given you a good solid grounding in the basics in addition to a deep, rigorous dive into a particular subject, I believe theres more opportunity to make mid course corrections than most people appreciate…</p>
<p>I’m a third year bioengineering/chemical engineering major, and I want to do biological anthropology :P</p>